Friday, June 24, 2011

For the first time, Bub and Gracie went away to church camp. Since we're not a sleep-away family in general, they were both excited and full of trepidation before spending time away from home. We prepared by talking about all the fun things that they'd be doing, and by letting them know they could call us anytime they felt especially scared. We got one silly letter from Bub, and Gracie called home twice, but in the end, there were no significant issues with fear or homesickness. Gracie roomed with a good friend from church, and Bub is friends with everyone he runs into. Both kids had compassionate counselors, and they each had so much fun, they hardly missed us at all.

Ready to Go!

Bub, age 10

Gracie, age 9

Gracie's Handmade Camp Hat(she prepared herself for camp by making crafts in advance)

Friday, June 10, 2011

At three months old, Elleigh is such a content little baby. She coos and gurgles at everyone, but she loves Dad the best. She's such a happy baby, she reminds me of Buddy the Elf -- "I just like to smile. Smiling's my favorite." She's falling into a very nice feeding schedule and has already begun sleeping though the night. She's so strong and has been rolling back-to-front and back again for some time. In fact, we put her on her back in the crib, but find her sleeping best when she rolls to her tummy with her little feet crossed at the ankle. She prefers this position and returns to it, even after we carefully roll her to her back again. It honestly is such a blessing that Elleigh is pretty easy and very predicable. We'd love her even if she were more of a challenge, but having a tiny one with such a go-with-the-flow attitude really does make things so nice.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

The kids and I purchased season passes for a local waterpark this year. This particular waterpark chain is Christian in nature, and their objective is to bring families closer together. There are scriptures posted throughout the park, and the lifeguards are dressed modestly. The parks are smaller in size, so they feel safe. All around, it's an environment I feel comfortable taking my children to.

We purchased our passes in advance of this pregnancy and Elleigh joining our family, so we thought our excursions would be easy. When summer arrived, we had to decide how we'd swing park visits. Only once have we left Elleigh with a sitter, otherwise she joins us each and every time we go. I pack her in an otherwise unused Infantino baby carrier and wade around with Brystol in the shallow end of the wave pool. Bub and Grace head off together to the kid climbing structure and waterslide within eyesight, checking in in person every few minutes. Together, we go to the "lazy river" where I walk alongside kids in rafts and Brystol in her baby float. Admittedly, our waterpark visits are not always easy, but they're not impossible, and they're always lots of fun!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Over a weekend break from my summer classes, James and I loaded the kids up and drove to Oklahoma for a quick overnight visit to Marcie's house. We really didn't plan to make the trip, but after a long phone conversation with Marcie on Saturday morning, we spontaneously opted to spend lunchtime and baby naptime driving, putting us in Tulsa mid-afternoon. The grownups guzzled tea while playing cards and dominoes, and the kids played in the sprinklers, ran in and out of the house, ran up and down the stairs, and played dress-up, Barbies and video games. We left late Sunday afternoon and made it home just in time for bedtime. It's always fun to reconnect, even if the trip was random and rapid.

This is me wearing 2-month-old Elleigh in a ring sling at ~20 weeks gestation. I'd prefer to wear her in my Moby-like wrap, but it's grown too snug already, and the Ergo has too many straps and buckles to feel comfortable right now. I've found she does well in the Mei Tai (that still fits), but I'm on the hunt for something new to wear while pregnant. I'm pondering and pinning a few DIY wrap options, but not surprisingly, I'm not finding many babywearing ideas specifically geared for the pregnant mommy.

I talk about my life anyway because if, on the one hand,hardly anything could be less important, on the other hand,hardly anything could be more important.My story is important not because it is mine, God knows,but because if I tell it anything like right, the chances areyou will recognize that in many ways it is also yours.Maybe nothing is more important than that we keep track, you and I,of these stories of who we are and where we have come fromand the people we have met along the waybecause it is precisely through these stories in all their particularity,as I have long believed and often said, that God makes himself knownto each of us most powerfully and personally.-- Frederick Buechner